Another Reason to Join Foursquare (and Happy Foursquare Day!)

If you haven’t joined Foursquare–a location-based social media site–we’ve got one more reason why you should: Now you can get tips from Bon Appetit editors about where to go and what to eat based on where you are.

What in the world does that mean? Find out after the jump.

Here’s how this works: Foursquare is similar to Facebook or Twitter inthat you can become virtual friends with other people then communicatewith them through the service. But on Foursquare you can “check in” at alocation–a restaurant, park, shopping mall, museum, etc–when you arrive (usingyour phone and one of Foursquare’s mobile apps), which sends a message to allof your friends telling them that you’re there. By checking in, you canfind out what your friends liked about that spot, which of your friends are nearby at the time, rack up points, earn badges, and become “the mayor” of any spot you’ve visited more than anyone else on Foursquare.

The service also allows you to leave tips at a location. So ifyour favorite bakery has a killer chocolate chip cookie, leavea tip tagged to that bakery that all of your friends will receive if they check in anywherenearby. (For example, if you’ve got a friend wandering around New YorkCity’s Upper West Side, you owe it to them to leave a tip at LevainBakery regarding cookies.)

Conversely, if any of your friends have discovered somethinggreat to do, eat, or drink, they can leave a tip there, andwhen you check in nearby you’ll receive it.

That’s where we come in.
Our editors have hundreds of tips to sharewith you, and we’re loading them all into our Foursquare account to guide you to the best epicurean destinations on the planet. Become friends with us, and you’ll start receiving these tips based on where you are and what you’re doing.

As for Foursquare day, today is 4/16. As in, the number “4,” squared. Yes, the tech world is plum full of nerds who think that kind of thing is clever. If you have any questions about Foursquare or how to become friends with Bon Appetit, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Happy Foursquare Day!